Neck and ear protector



July 27, 1948. B ILLS NECK AND EAR PRO TECTOR Filed Sept. 19, 1946 IN V EN TOR.

A 170mm Patented July 27, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to beauticians supplies and equipment and it has particular reference to a device for protecting the subject against the discomfort caused by the heat of a hair drier.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a protective shield consisting primarily of a hair net which is pervious to the air of the blower in the drier and to which is attached for suspension about its rearmost edge, a shield adapted to overlie and conceal the neck of the subject, the said shield extending upwardly on each side of the subjects head and is expanded to form pockets to receive and protect the ears of the subject, and extending forwardly from these pockets are tabs, whose ends are adapted to be adjustably fastened together across the forehead of the subject, thereby affording a. protective band for this region of the subjects face which otherwise would be exposed to the hot air of the drier.

Another object of the invention is to provide a protective shield of the character set forth which is easily adjusted to the subjects head, and the device being made preferably from fabric, it is comfortable and in no wise interferes with the drying of the hair. The protective shield, having as a complementary part thereof, the hair net, it is held in place thereby and there is little likelihood that it will become displaced to permit any portion of the neck, ears or forehead of the subject to be exposed to the heat of the drier.

With the foregoing objects as paramount the invention has further reference to certain features of accomplishment which will become apparent as the description proceeds taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view, showing the invention as worn by a subject preparatory to drying the hair.

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view, and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail view in sections, taken on line 4-4 on Figure 3.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, reference numeral l denotes a hair net which may be of any conventional manufacture. Sewed to and depending from the side and rear portions of the hair net It] is a shield, consisting preferably of fabric and is composed of a neck concealing portion II and extending upwardly, the material is formed to define ear pockets 12 which entirely conceal the ears of the subject. As an integral part of the ear pockets 12, tabs l3 extend forwardly and overlap at the approximate center of the subjects forehead where there is provided snap fasteners or other 2 means for securing the ends of the tabs I3 adjustably together.

Among the advantageous features of the present invention is the fact that there is nothing rigid about the structure, the entire device being highly flexible to conform to the contours of the subjects head, ears and neck with'out binding at any point. Optionally provided in the hem 14 of the tabs l3 are strips [5 of elastic. The net I", being usually self-conforming, it is not necessary to attach the tabs I3 to fore parts of the net, hence the elastic 15 may be an aid in maintaining proper position of the forehead band made up of the tabs l3.

It will be understood from the foregoing that while there are obvious advantages in producing the described device from fabric, it is not intended that the materia1 used in constructing the device be limited to fabric since it is obvious that the protective shield, aside from the net, may be made of paper or other'material capable of modifying the discomforting effects of heat as produced by the heating element in the conventional hair driers.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed to fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claim is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

As a new article of manufacture, a protective device for the neck, ears and forehead, comprising a. hair net, a flexible body consisting of a depending flap secured to the rear portion only of said hair net and on the upper corners of which are formed pockets adapted to wholly enclose the ears of the wearer and whose upper portions are sewed to the sides of said hair net, forehead shielding tabs integral with the upper portions of the pocketsand extending forwardly, their ends lying in overlapping relationship on the forehead of the wearer, and means for securing the ends of i said tabs together.

LELA BILLS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,124,131 Ault July 19, 1938 2,149,210 Fairchild Feb. 28, 1939 2,184,240 McInnis Dec. 19, 1939 2,286,287 Livingston June 16, 1942 

